


Desire

by DieAstra



Category: Bodyguards (TV series)
Genre: Falling In Love, Feels, Kissing, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 08:27:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14351706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DieAstra/pseuds/DieAstra
Summary: Missing scene for episode 1x03 "Out of the Mouths of Babes"While watching over a 13 year old witness in a safe house, Ian and Liz have a hard time to keep their relationship professional.





	Desire

She watched them under the pretense of working. She didn’t want to openly stare, wanted to give them this moment of male connection, but she couldn’t help smiling. A big wide smile that almost hurt her cheeks and she realized she hadn’t smiled like that for ages. Ever since the thing with Pat happened - Ian’s wife who had been killed on her watch.

She felt responsible for that even though Ian had told her that it wasn’t her fault. But it made her suddenly feel insecure around him. She was worried their relationship might change and she would deeply regret that. She was worried he would not want to be her partner anymore.

Ever since he had come back to work he had been very guarded and quiet, keeping his feelings even more to himself than usual. She tried not to react to this silence; they were here to do a job, not to wallow in self pity. It had seemed like an easy thing to get him back on his feet: just watch this boy for a few days. Who would’ve thought they would end up here in this safe house.

But ever since they arrived Ian seemed much different. As if all the worry of the world had fallen off of him and she watched with fascination how the boy took to him. She realized with a bang what a great and natural father he made. 

And he was so subtle in making Alan stop worrying as well. They were having fun throwing pizza dough into the air and Ian sounded quite sexy when saying those Italian words. His eyes lit up and he smiled, the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. She frantically tried to remember, but she came up blank. She’d never seen him smile before. Not even before Pat.

Maybe that one time when he had talked to his daughter on the phone. But that smile had had only half the watts of this one now.

When she later looked back she realized that this was the moment she had fallen in love with him. There had been some attraction before, and he had agreed to her invitation for a drink which they then sadly never took because of life getting in the way, but this was different. This was suddenly deep-in-the-bone-making-my-heart-hurt different. She had no idea how to survive the night.

She managed normal conversation while all three of them were sitting at the table eating the result of that hard labour, and it tasted marvelous. But the way her body was reacting to being so close to him, everything would have tasted marvelous, she suspected.

Later, much later, after Ian had brought Alan to bed and waited till he slept, he finally joined her on the sofa. This was the moment she had longed for and dreaded at the same time. He came over with a trifle he had made and sat down next to her. Way too close and yet not close enough. She must have made a sound because he reached down and took out his weapon to lay it onto the table. Which was not what she had meant but she was glad for the misunderstanding. She wasn’t ready to let him know, not now, not when there were bigger things at stake here. There was time enough for all that later. She could do this. She could stay professional.

Still, it didn’t hurt to enjoy his company while it lasted.

Their fingers touched briefly when he gave her the trifle and a spark flew through her hand. Inwardly she was screaming but outwardly she kept her cool and was proud that her voice didn’t quiver when she asked what was in it.

And she wished this moment would never end. Just a little breather in this madness, that’s all she wanted. That was not asking too much, was it?

She was very conscious of him watching her eat but she refused to meet his eyes. Heat was radiating from where their legs touched. Her thigh was burning and she wondered if he felt the same or if it was just her imagination.

The trifle was perfect. The sweetness of the cream and the slight sourness of the fruit made her taste buds explode. Everything about this man was perfect.

Finally when she was finished she looked up and met his eyes that had gone quite dark. And she realized too late that she must have been licking the spoon and making noises that belonged in a bedroom but not a safe house.

She blushed. It had been a long time since a man had made her blush also. God, this was more difficult than she had thought.

Just when she was about to say something to break the spell he abruptly stood and announced that he was going to bed now. They took turns in sleeping, as one of them always had to watch the monitors for unwelcomed guests.

She just nodded and sat in front of the computers, turning her back to where he was lying down on the sofa. She could hear him rustle for a while, trying to find the perfect position, before it got still. She barely dared to breathe.

She suddenly was alone with her thoughts and the screens in front of her. She checked them methodically. She was wide awake. She would have not been able to sleep right now anyway.

In fact, she envied this ability of his. Men! Give them a soft pillow and a blanket and they can sleep anywhere.

Finally, she couldn’t bear it any longer and turned to get a quick glance of his still form. The blanket had slid to the ground on the side and she got up to put it properly over him again. He made an appreciative noise, turned in his sleep and snuggled closer into it. His face barely looked out of it now.

Fascinated, she watched him sleep for a few minutes between glances at the monitors. Nothing happening there; everything was quiet. So she could afford to study his face while he slept. It was overwhelming to see how the lines of worry cleared. He suddenly looked much younger. She longed to touch, to trace that one line etched deeply into the skin between nose and mouth. Her fingers itched but she clamped the hands together behind her back.

She was the one keeping watch and shouldn’t get distracted. She also knew very well how dangerous it would be to disturb him. He had gotten his weapon back into the holster and she knew how quick his reactions were. She could end up seriously hurt and would have only herself to blame.

Better to get away from him for a few minutes.

*****

Ian woke with a small cry which he swallowed as soon as consciousness kicked in. Hand on the weapon, he quickly scanned his surroundings. Everything was dark and quiet, except for the blue light of the monitors. Liz was nowhere to be seen, probably checking on the boy. Satisfied that there was no immediate danger, Ian checked his watch. Half past two, another half hour until his alarm would go off.

He laid back and processed what just had happened. He didn’t remember much but he remembered that this had been a hot dream. He hadn’t had one of those for a long while now. And Liz had been in it. That he remembered clearly.

He had been aware of her watching him yesterday evening and if he was honest with himself, he had put on a little extra show for her. He’d thought the Italian was too much but apparently she liked it. And he had enjoyed himself immensely. Even though he regretted that he couldn’t be with his daughter right now, being here with Liz and Alan almost felt like having a family again. He could pretend for one evening.

He had always loved to cook but hadn’t done much of it since he started to live alone. A quick sandwich was all he needed when he came home late, exhausted. There was nobody there who would enjoy his trifle the way Liz had. Boy had her eyes lit up! This alone had been worth the effort.

He wondered how and when things had changed between them. He couldn’t point his finger but something definitely was different all of a sudden.

He heard soft footsteps and quickly closed his eyes again. He wasn’t ready yet to face her. Not with that bulge still in his pants which he willed to go away. He needed that half hour to calm himself down. He felt her linger at his side but forced himself to continue breathing slowly and regularly to not give himself away. Finally he heard her sit down at the computer station.

Ian then risked a glance through half closed lids. He could not see much of her, only the back of the head, the short hair that suited her well, neck and shoulders. He’d seen it thousands of times but suddenly there was a new beauty that hadn’t been there before. He wondered if she felt the same.

He had no idea whether she wanted children. They never had talked about it. She knew how difficult life with Patsy had been and that his job was the reason they had separated. If they could make this work somehow it would be difficult, with both of them having this dangerous job. He’d never ask her to give it up just to play mother at home. But he lost himself in dreams of how it could be, would be, having her by his side. Having another child with her even. Maybe a little boy.

They most certainly would get split up at work. As soon as news of their relationship got out they would not be allowed to work with each other anymore. Which would be a shame as they made a great team. He could rely on her experience and input. Sometimes their opinions clashed, but in the end they always worked something out.

But it would not be with Liz like it had been with Patsy. She knew the demands of the job, all the late hours, the never being home for the important parts. She wouldn’t complain as long as he would not complain. That needed to be the deal. At the first chance they got, he’d talk to her. He was ready.

The alarm beeped. His grace period was over. He made a show of awakening. He wasn’t sure if it had been convincing; his acting skills weren’t the best and he made a promise to himself to let her know later. No secrets or lies should stand between them, from day one. Although he probably wouldn’t tell Liz about the dream.

*****

Liz heard the soft beep of Ian’s watch. She took a deep breath. Stalling was over. This was it. She turned in her chair and saw him sitting up, rubbing his eyes, yawning. She stood up at the same time as he did and they met in the small space between the table and the sofa.

They stood very closely, not saying anything, just looking into each other’s eyes. Then slowly, ever so slowly, Ian bent his head. He hesitated for a moment, apparently waiting for a no but when it didn’t come, their lips finally met in a quick soft kiss. It had the promise of more later and it was difficult to pull away but finally she did, and he let her go. God, this man was so gentle, so different from all the others. She wondered how she deserved him.

She ducked out of his embrace to continue to the sofa, and he continued to the table. When she lay down he turned and with a throaty voice wished, “Good night. Sleep well.” A pleasant shudder ran over her whole body.

She sent him her most beautiful smile back as a thank you and then snuggled under the covers. She could still smell his lingering smell on the pillow, and she dug in her nose deep to breathe it in.

She knew with clarity that this was what she wanted for the rest of her life. It would be difficult to make it work, and there might be sacrifices along the way, but this past day and night had shown her what she had been missing from her life so far. The company of a man, husband and lover, and a child to complete the family.

She made a promise to herself to tell him that he had been right all along with his suspicion. He even had apologized for having it wrong while she had lied right into his face that she was not assigned to look over him. She felt bad for that now. What might be acceptable for a co-worker, friend even, was not acceptable for a lover. No secrets or lies should stand between them, from day one. He deserved to know, even if he would be angry. But hopefully he’d understand the reason behind it. They cared for him – MacIntyre and all the others. They only wanted the best for him. And she would make sure that he’d never feel alone in his life.

With these thoughts she fell asleep, knowing that the man she loved and who loved her would watch over her in her dreams. In his company she felt safe and comfortable. She felt protected.

By her hero.

Her Ian.  
Hers.

The End


End file.
